Using suggestions by David Rosengarten and John Ash, I had some fun with rather early Roma tomatoes. Trim off the navel, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and goo, then lay them face up on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt, then bake for 4 hours in a 250 degree F oven. This concentrates the flavors beautifully. I tossed this batch with olive oil, crushed garlic, pepper, and a little balsamic, then put them on garlic-rubbed bruschetta. Finished with a slice of fresh mozzerella.

These would also be great cut up and tossed with pasta and some olive oil. Or on focaccia. Hmmm, I've got a few left, I think I'll combine them with some fried okra, red pepper, and mustard seeds...

I am looking for something vegetable to plate with some tellegio/grilled radicchio/truffle pastries I'm making today. Was going to fill some cherry tomatoes with cucumber mousse, but oven roasted tomatoes suddenly sound like just the ticket (for a brunello tasting).

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Done these many times in the past--they come out like tomato candy. Anyway, thanks to your suggestion, when I got up this morning (the second time) I went straight to the market for romas and a tray is in the oven as I type.

About getting stupefied--darn, I want to! Been having trouble getting away though lately: my husband's been pretty ill.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Done these many times in the past--they come out like tomato candy. Anyway, thanks to your suggestion, when I got up this morning (the second time) I went straight to the market for romas and a tray is in the oven as I type.

About getting stupefied--darn, I want to! Been having trouble getting away though lately: my husband's been pretty ill.

Well if you do get a chance to come down here, you will need to let me know, too!

Today, I picked Romas, Cherokee Purple, German Strip, Early Girl, Sun Gold Cherry and a red cherry. Prepare a large cooking tray with foil wrap, toss in the washed cherry toms. Cut the rest into wedges, about the same size. Drizzle with EVOO, coarse salt and freshly gr. pepper. This was a large juicy batch, so I roasted at 425° until the juice is almost dried up and they begin to brown. Cool a little, toss into food processor with a small head of roasted garlic and/or two to three anchovy fillets. Whirl away.
Makes a wonderful tomato sauce or paste (depending on the juice content) which I use for pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, etc.

Karen/NoCA wrote:Today, I picked Romas, Cherokee Purple, German Strip, Early Girl, Sun Gold Cherry and a red cherry. Prepare a large cooking tray with foil wrap, toss in the washed cherry toms. Cut the rest into wedges, about the same size. Drizzle with EVOO, coarse salt and freshly gr. pepper. This was a large juicy batch, so I roasted at 425° until the juice is almost dried up and they begin to brown. Cool a little, toss into food processor with a small head of roasted garlic and/or two to three anchovy fillets. Whirl away.Makes a wonderful tomato sauce or paste (depending on the juice content) which I use for pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, etc.

Sounds great, Karen! Do you freeze it for further use or make small batches as needed?

Sounds great, Karen! Do you freeze it for further use or make small batches as needed?

Mike

Yes Mike, I store in those one cup plastic throw away containers from the grocery store and freeze. They keep just fine until I run out by next tomato season. One year I had enough for two years.
Just finished my sauce a few minutes ago and for some reason the anchovy was very salty. I had a few frozen and wanted to use them up. I wonder if they got saltier from freezing? I think next time I will only use one fillet per batch.

Stuart, thes sound made to order for me to do on the new ceramic grill. I am thinking of maybe 4-5 hours at the recommended temperature, cooked over the Coconut Extruded Charcoal. WOW, this might be the recipe of that I file right along side of your minestrone recipe! Hey, any chance of seeing you at Mo'Cool this august? weekend of the 26th!

FWIW, I've always done oven roasting at 200-250, six to eight hours. Yesterday I had a time crunch so I sped it up, starting at 300. I also sometimes do them in a dehydrator. Anyway, I figured I'd lower the temp as soon as they started looking worse for wear, but they never did. Yes, they browned a little more than they otherwise would have, but that wasn't unattractive or untasty. After three hours the thinner walled tomatoes in the bunch were done and could be removed, and the others dried out a little more in the next 30 minutes.

Nice to know one can speed up the process without damage, if needed.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Proud Daddy Moment: My five year old at Round Table Pizza (with mommy, not me!), asking if they had "sun-tried tomatoes."

Second Proud Daddy Moment (OT): I bought some Brentwood corn to take over to a Stupidfest. I left two ears behind for Linda to cook for herself and Jimmy. She puts them in the pot of water like I showed her, whereupon the 5 year old pipes up, "Don't leave it in there too long or it will turn to MUSH!"

Not that I'm ecologically responsible, but I save all the seeds/juice/goo in a container in the freezer, and add to soups in the winter. IMO, that's where the tomato flaver is concentrated, and adding it to soups that contain tomatoes (like veggie soup, or mushroom barley soup) just punches up the flavor a bit.